Handheld mobile computing devices have proliferated as their usefulness and functionality have improved. To the extent that the handheld device may be configurable or customizable for different classes of user, the utility the devices is enhanced.
Handheld computers are available in many variations of user functionality. For example, including barcode laser scanning, digital photo and document scanning, Global Positioning System (GPS), MPEG audio layer 3 (MP3) players, user input means (such as keyboard versus touch screen input) and wireless radio frequency-based (RF) communications functionality. It is apparent that depending on the particular functionality selected, to customize for a given handheld variant, appropriate software/firmware configurations, including appropriate software drivers, software applications, or even operating system variants, may be necessary.
Functionality of the handheld devices is typically tested and calibrated during device manufacturing assembly, to ensure reliability, quality, and conformance to applicable performance standards. Conducting testing and calibration of increasingly complex handheld functionalities and variants has resulted in increasingly longer production times, increased errors and rework, and lower test yields. Advantageously, the provisioning of software components to provide customized device functionality, based on a given hardware configuration or platform, may be deferred just prior to testing by configuring the handheld device with the appropriate software/firmware at such late stage.